CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FORM #2
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER
CHANGE IN A DEGREE, MAJOR, OR SUBMAJOR



Check Exactly One:

Change In:                         Degree                     Major                    X Submajor

Deletion of                                                         Major                         Submajor
 

Total Number of Credits in Program (if change in):

               24 Before Change                    21 After Change
 

Program Title: Asian Studies Minior
 

Sponsor(s):      Larry Neuman

Department(s): Sociology and Asian Studies

College(s): Letters and Sciences
 

Other Programs Affected:
 

Effective Term: Fall 2000

I. Exact Description of Request

This is a request to revise the courses required to complete the Asian Studies Minor. It reduces the total number of required credits from 24 to 21, at the same time its strengthens the program's academic rigor with overhaul of the curriculum. Several courses are dropped, several new courses are added or used to replace previously listed courses, the structure of required and elective courses is altered, a new language requirement is introduced, and some new flexibility is permitted. Additional courses on Asia are under development and can be easily added to the revised curriculum in the future.

2. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY Complete the equivalent of one semester of study of an Asian language with a grade of C or higher, or pass a proficiency test indicating an equivalent competency. Native speakers of an Asian language may have this requirement waived by the program coordinator. 3. ELECTIVES Note: Up to 9 credits of travel study and/or study abroad in Asia involving courses that have a substantial Asian-specific content, including language study, can fulfill requirement 3 electives above at the discretion of the coordinator. Advanced approval from the coordinator before taking a study abroad course is recommended.

II. Relationship to mission and strategic plan, and/or College/Department goals and objectives.
The revision is in keeping with the goal to offer students courses that are current and provide them with a rich interdisciplinary experience. It fills the college's goal to "promote personal growth through its programs of general education, specialized and career oriented majors and minors and collaborative programs with other colleges" and "to integrate interdisciplinary, pedagogical and technological innovations into educational process." The change also is in keeping with the goal of helping students complete their degrees in a timely manner.

III. Rationale
The major reasons for revising the Minor program include the following:

The curriculum of the Minor has not been revised in seven years. The current list of courses does not reflect the retirement or resignation of several faculty/staff who taught courses in the program. Not all have been replaced. Several required and elective courses have not been offered or are offered very infrequently (see Chart in Appendix). For example, one required course was not been offered once in five years, and another was offered only once in five years. This created a hardship for students and undermined the academic integrity of the program because of course substitutions.

Several significant new courses on Asia have been developed and are being taught regularly. They are appropriate for the Minor program and more appropriate than some courses previously listed in the Minor but that had little Asian content. The revised curriculum better reflects the currently offered courses and can provide students with a deep, broad array of courses on Asia. Courses in the new curriculum, as it is structured, should be offered frequently enough to enable students to complete the Minor in a timely manner.

The revised curriculum better recognizes an Asian Studies core in the humanities and social sciences with
an expanded set of elective courses in several academic fields. This strengthens the breath and interdisciplinary character of the program.

The revised curriculum encourages students to study abroad in Asia by increasing the opportunities for students to use study abroad/exchange credits taken at Asian universities.

The revised curriculum strengthens the academic integrity of the program by requiring student exposure to an Asian language. This is possible now that Asian languages are offered at UW-Whitewater. Also the minimal level of exposure required combined with opportunities to apply language programs taken elsewhere and a waiver for native speakers of Asian languages means that this requirement will create no serious burden for students. Most students in the program already complete this requirement, so it will equalize learning experiences without slowing student progress to degree completion.

 IV. Cost Implications This change should strengthen program integrity and improve student progress toward degree without imposing additional costs. It has no cost implications because students would already be taking courses either as requirements or as substitutes in the existing interdisciplinary minor. The program is now small with about 5-6 students and the only new requirement is for language study. Asian language courses are being taught at UW-Whitewater and the classes have room for additional students without additional staffing.
APPENDIX
CORE OR REQUIRED COURSES FOR THE CURRENT ASIAN STUDIES MINOR
SECTIONS () OFFERED AND ENROLLMENT, FALL 1994 to FALL 1999
 

Semester

 Geography

722-364

 Rel Studies

786-211

 Pol Sci

820-460

 History

740-130

 Anthro*

613-325

 Anthro*

613-324

 Total courses
Fall 94 NONE (2) 91 NONE NONE NONE NONE 1
Sprg 95 (1) 13 (2) 84 NONE NONE NONE NONE 2
Fall 95 NONE (2) 97 NONE NONE NONE NONE 1
Sprg 96 (1) 23 (1) 28 NONE NONE NONE (1) 13 3
Fall 96 NONE (1) 48 NONE NONE NONE NONE 1
Sprg 97 (1) 17 (1) 43 NONE NONE NONE NONE 2
Fall 97 NONE (1) 47 NONE NONE NONE NONE 1
Sprg 98 (1) 17 (2) 70 NONE (1) 28 NONE NONE 3
Fall 98 NONE (1) 45 NONE NONE NONE (1) 15 2
Sprg 99 NONE (1) 43 NONE NONE NONE NONE 1
Fall 99 (1) 24 (1) 43 NONE NONE NONE NONE 2
* Course Prefix 613 or 892, the requirement is to take either course.
ELECTIVE COURSES FOR THE CURRENT ASIAN STUDIES MINOR

ENROLLMENT, FALL 1994-FALL 1999
 
 

Term

 Hist.

740-131

 Hist.

740-433

 Hist.

740-432

 Hist.

740-435

 Rel Std

786-303

 Pol Sci

820-247

 Econ

230-360

 Econ

230-406

 Mangt

250-410
Fall 94 18 10 NONE NONE 18 NONE NONE NONE 12
Sprg 95 NONE NONE 6 NONE 10 NONE 31 35 NONE
Fall 95 23 10 NONE NONE 29 NONE NONE NONE 23
Sprg 96 NONE NONE 7 NONE 15 NONE NONE 19 NONE
Fall 96 14 19 NONE NONE 6 NONE NONE NONE 25
Sprg 97 NONE NONE 11 NONE NONE NONE 23 15 NONE
Fall 97 Cancel 15 NONE NONE 24 NONE NONE NONE 16
Sprg 98 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE 12 23
Fall 98 20 NONE NONE NONE 9 NONE NONE NONE 13
Sprg 99 NONE 16 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE 26 NONE
Fall 99 NONE NONE 18 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE 36
NONE indicates no sections were offered.